DFM Kerala interview consent form

Project title	Dried Fish Matters: Mapping the social economy of dried fish in South and Southeast Asia for enhanced wellbeing and nutrition
Component	Scoping Study: Ernakulam-Kochi, India
Principal Investigator	Dr. Derek S. Johnson, Department of Anthropology, 432 Fletcher Argue Bldg., The University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 Canada. Email: Derek.johnson@umanitoba.ca
Local Coordinators	Dr. Holly Hapke, Research Development Director. School of Social Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-5100. Phone: 949 824 3183. E-mail: hhapke@uci.edu Dr. Nikita Gopal, Principal Scientist, Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT), CIFT Road Matsyapuri, Willingdon Island, Kochi, Kerala 682029, India. E-mail: Nikiajith@gmail.com
Sponsor	Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC)
Researchers	Dr. Holly Hapke

This consent form, a copy of which will be left with you for your records and reference, is only part of the process of informed consent.

It should give you the basic idea of what the research is about and what your participation will involve.

If you would like more detail about something mentioned here, or information not included here, you should feel free to ask.

Please take the time to read this carefully and to understand any accompanying information.

Purpose of the research

“Dried Fish Matters” is an international study, funded by Canada, that aims to create a better understanding of the social aspects of the Indian Ocean dried fish economy.

The project is expected to last seven years, beginning in 2018.

The current phase of our research will involve general interviews, site observations, and community workshops among fishers, dried fish producers, wholesalers, and retailers located in India, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, Bangladesh, and Myanmar.

The information gathered from this research will help develop policies and interventions that address food security, nutrition, and livelihood needs across South and South-East Asia.

Information you provide may be used in any of the following:

• Academic conference presentations, articles, or book chapters
• Technical reports for researchers and policymakers
• Non-technical summaries for the general public
• Policy briefs, proposals for follow-up interventions or research initiatives
• Broadcast or text interviews
• Online databases and websites
• Workshops and community events (knowledge mobilization in your community)

Interview

If you agree to be interviewed for this research, you will be asked to discuss and/or demonstrate your experiences related to the dried fish economy.

This interview will take approximately 40 minutes.

I may invite you to discuss the nature of your work, how much and what types of fish you deal with, how you buy and sell fish or fish products, how safe and secure you feel in your current livelihood, and governance issues that might need to be addressed.

The field researcher from our project will take handwritten notes during the interview, but will not make any audio-recordings or collect any other information about you without your consent.

I will share the information you provide with other researchers, and may also quote you anonymously (or using a pseudonym) in research publications and presentations.

Photography and video

With your consent, the field researcher will take photographs or short video recordings of activities at your place of work.

These photographs or video recordings will help us to document and analyze the ways that people process, sell, and consume dried fish across many different sites.

The research team may use these images in public settings, including academic articles, books, presentations, courses, or web pages.

Although you may be visually identifiable in any photographs or video clips, we will not publish these images in a way that links them to personal information you might tell us about yourself.

You and your parents or guardians (if the respondent is minor) will have the opportunity to review the images or recordings after they are completed.

You are free to decline having photographs or video recordings taken of you.

Benefits

This research is expected to support policy improvements aiming to address the needs of fishers, processors, traders, and retailers in the dried fish sector.

The findings from this initial research will directly shape the design of pilot interventions in areas such as food security, health, and sustainable livelihoods.

Although you may not benefit directly from these future policy proposals or interventions, any information you provide will contribute to better awareness of your needs and concerns among researchers and policymakers.

You will not be paid for participating in this study.

Risks

The expected risks of participating in this study are minimal.

Although we anticipate that our research will identify safety and legal/regulatory problems in the dried fish sector, we will not record or report the identities of anyone we observe taking part in unsafe or illegal activities.

Our project researchers may recommend policies or actions to address harmful practices in the dried fish sector, which could – if implemented – have a direct or indirect impact on your work.

In this context, I invite you to contribute honestly to our understanding of the challenges of engaging in safer, more equitable work practices, so as to guide our research in a positive way.

I am committed to consulting with stakeholders before publishing any sensitive findings that could affect them economically, socially, legally, or politically.

Note that I am bound to report any evidence I may encounter of violence inflicted on women and children to the Police as they are the primary enforcement agency.

Anonymity and confidentiality

All information we collect from you and other members of your community will remain anonymous.

Our field researcher has been instructed not to record your name or identity in any way.

Although we intend to share field notes with other researchers, I will remove specific details that could identify you before doing so, such as the size of your family or the location of your home and workplace.

If you agree to an interview, I will speak with you in a location of your choice.

Please be mindful that, depending on the interview setting, your comments may not be completely private.

You are always free to decline answering any of our questions, without giving a reason.

Withdrawing from the research

Participation in this research is entirely voluntary.

Should you agree to take part in this study, you are free to withdraw your participation at any time during or immediately following the interview.

If you choose to withdraw, any interview notes, photographs, or recordings concerning you will immediately be destroyed.

Debriefing

At the end of the interview, you will be invited to provide feedback and ask questions about the research.

Dissemination of results

The initial findings from this study will be available in approximately 8 months.

You may obtain a written summary of the results from the local partner organization listed at the top of this form.

Additionally, you will be able to obtain the latest information on our research and comment on our findings through our mobile-accessible online platform at http://driedfishmatters.org.

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By checking the boxes on this form, you indicate that you have understood to your satisfaction the information regarding participation in the research project and agree to participate as a subject.

In no way does this waive your legal rights nor release the researchers, sponsors, or involved institutions from their legal and professional responsibilities.

You are free to withdraw from the study at any time, and /or refrain from answering any questions you prefer to omit, without prejudice or consequence.

Your continued participation should be as informed as your initial consent, so you should feel free to ask for clarification or new information throughout your participation.

The University of Manitoba may look at your research records to see that the research is being done in a safe and proper way.

This research has been approved by the University of Manitoba Joint Faculty Ethics Review Board.

If you have any concerns or complaints about this project you may contact any of the above-named persons or the Human Ethics Coordinator at +1 204-474-7122 or humanethics@umanitoba.ca.

A copy of this consent form has been given to you to keep for your records and reference.

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❏ I understand the purpose and nature of this study.

❏ I have been told about the expected risks and benefits of participating.

❏ I understand that participation in this research is voluntary, and that I may withdraw my consent to participate at any time without penalty.

Please select one or more of the following options.

❏ I give permission to the researcher to take photographs or video recordings of me.

❏ I agree to be interviewed for this research project.

Please check the following box ONLY if you wish to be identified by name. By default, you will be identified anonymously.

❏ I wish to be identified as: _______________________________________

Please check the following box if this form has been completed on behalf of a child.

❏ I am the parent or legal guardian of a child who has agreed to participate in this research, and provide my consent to the terms agreed above.

To complete at the end of the interview.

❏ I agree to be contacted for follow-up research. I can be located in the following way (provide your name and contact information):

❏ I wish to have a written summary of research results sent to me at the following address (email or post):

I prefer to receive communications in (select one or more):

❏ Malayalam

❏ English

❏ Another Language______________________ (Specify)

Participant code / pseudonym	________________________________
Researcher and/or Delegate’s Signature	________________________________
Date	________________________________